


It's Time To Rise Above

by k_howard_is_here



Series: Twist of Fate [3]
Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Domestic Violence, Gen, Heavy Angst, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-13 22:04:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21004892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/k_howard_is_here/pseuds/k_howard_is_here
Summary: She doesn't need your love.





	It's Time To Rise Above

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired to write a modern twist on each of the Queens' stories and this is what has happened.  
A word of warning that all my works in this series contain heavy topics. Please read the tags with each one before reading.
> 
> This is also my first foray into fic writing for Six so comments/feedback is always welcome!
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr - sixqueendom

The sound of footsteps at the front door snapped Cathy back to reality. Frantically scribbling the end of her sentence, she hurriedly re-hid her notebook and pen under the loose floorboard beneath the bed, alongside her most precious possessions. As the key jingled in the lock, she tiptoed downstairs and plastered a smile on her face.

She prayed he was in a good mood. That he’d had a good day.

“Hey love!” Henry beamed as he entered, giving her a quick peck on the cheek as he shrugged off his coat.

She gave a quiet sigh of relief. “How was your day?” she asked, slipping into the kitchen to flick on the kettle.

_Always be on the ball._

“Good, actually. That bloody new apprentice Julia thought would be a good idea seems to have finally got his shit together. He actually managed to make himself useful.”

Cathy carefully unscrewed the coffee jar.

_Two heaped teaspoons. No more, no less._

Pouring his coffee, she smiled. “Well, I’m glad you had a better today.”

Henry slid onto a stool at the breakfast bar, already engrossed in the newspaper. Cathy bit her lip as he took a sip of his coffee. When he made no comment, she relaxed, turning her attention to the recipe for the evening’s meal. She had decided to be adventurous and impress him with a brand-new dish.

“Would you like me to pick you up anything at the grocery store? I need to pick up a couple of things for dinner.”

Henry slammed down the mug, making her flinch.

_Bad move, Cathy._

Her husband glowered at her as he slowly lowered the newspaper. “What the fuck have you been doing all day?”

She swallowed. She didn’t dare let her eyes fall to the floor. She looked him right in the eye, face emotionless. Was it wise to answer back? Did she lie and risk being found out? Or should she stay silent?

_Throw the dice, Cathy. Which one will it be?_

After a moment’s hesitation, Henry’s anger was extinguished. He sighed and shook his head, regaining his composure, before returning to the article. “Hurry up and go.”

Cathy scurried out of the kitchen, grabbing her coat and slipping on her boots without another word. Only when the door was closed did she dare let out the breath she had been holding in.

_Close call, Cathy. Don’t mess up again._

* * *

In the grocery store, she was a woman on a mission. She wasted no time darting through the aisles, grabbing only what she needed for the meal and nothing else. She couldn’t afford to make another mistake.

“Cathy!”

She whirled around just as a little girl wrapped her arms around her waist.

“Hey, sweetheart!” She bent down to give the girl a proper hug, glancing at her watch. “I’ve missed you! How was your first week back at school?”

Felicia was the neighbour’s kid. She reminded Cathy of herself when she was that age, carefree and blissfully unaware of what went on behind closed doors. Cathy often saw her passing the window on her way to school in the mornings, when she lazily looked out for inspiration. Her little wave brightened her days.

Before Felicia could answer, a flustered man came racing around the corner, relaxing when he saw Cathy.

“Hey Thomas!” Cathy grinned. “Has she got you running wild already?”

The man laughed, mussing his daughter’s hair. “Hey Cathy. I haven’t seen you for ages. Everything alright?”

Cathy’s eyes flicked to her watch again.

Two minutes. Then you need to go.

“Oh yeah, fine,” she nodded, subconsciously fidgeting with her wedding ring. “I was just stuck in with the flu. You know, it’s been going around!”

_Nothing at all to do with the black eye._

She could feel herself getting restless, aware she was running out of time.

“Listen, I’m really sorry but I need to get going…”

As Cathy grabbed her basket and turned to go, she collided with another man. Her basket crashed to the floor. But before she could apologise, she gasped.

Henry.

She could tell by how tense he was that he was fired up for a fight. But, seeing he had an audience, he kept his cool.

“There you are!” he said through gritted teeth. “Come on, we have to go or we’ll be late.”

Thomas noted how Henry went to take his wife’s hand. It was almost snatched.

It wasn’t affectionate. It was possessive.

They each forced an awkward smile, before parting ways.

_Time’s up, Cathy._

* * *

As soon as Henry thrust her through the door, Cathy raced up the stairs, desperately trying to put as much distance as possible between herself and Henry. But she heard him close on her tail, thundering up behind her. In a futile attempt to hold him back she slammed the bedroom door closed. But it only served to add fuel to the fire. Henry overpowered her. Bursting into the room, raging with fury, he launched himself at her, seized her by the shoulders and shoved her forcefully against the wardrobe, pinning her there.

“The fuck you playing at, Cathy?” he bellowed, his face right up against hers. She could smell the coffee on his breath and, was that a trace of alcohol? “Trying to tell the neighbours about how shit a husband I am? I knew I couldn’t trust you!”

_I would never do that. I would never betray you._

Cathy tried to maintain her composure, keeping her arms firmly by her sides, eyes locked on his, burning into her. Her hands were itching for her pen.

“What did you tell him?” Henry demanded, grabbing her throat.

All Cathy could hear was the pounding of her heart in her ears. When she remained silent, she felt his grip tighten, constricting her airway. Cathy squirmed, clamping her eyes shut, trying to block him out, trying to keep the tears at bay. Tears were useless; they seemed to incite his anger more, like their salt made him more bitter.

“Nothing,” she whispered. “I didn’t tell him anything.”

But that wasn’t a satisfactory answer.

“Don’t lie to me!”

Henry threw her across the room and, as she fell, Cathy felt the sharp, searing pain at her temple as her head connected with the edge of the bedside table. It was only then that she allowed herself to sob. Incapacitated, she curled up on the floor. Her vision was distorted and dark, she felt helpless, like a defenceless animal. Henry was still screaming abuse, but it sounded odd, like it was coming from far away. Like she was underwater.

_Please, just stop. I promise I’ll not disappoint you again._

Cathy didn’t know how much time had passed when she heard a different voice calling her name and felt a gentle hand touch her shoulder. She recoiled, leaping up to back away, before her legs gave way and she stumbled back against the bed.

“Cathy, it’s okay. It’s just me, Thomas.”

Thomas? Cathy lifted her eyes to the kindly face of her neighbour and fell into his arms in relief. Then, she realised the room was quiet. Too quiet.

Henry was gone.

Seeing the puzzled expression on her face, Thomas put a reassuring hand on hers. “I knew something wasn’t right back at the grocery store, so I followed you home. When I heard the yelling, I phoned the police.”

Henry was gone. Suddenly, it felt like the whole weight of the world had been lifted off of her shoulders. Henry no longer had power over her. It was over. Cathy threw her arms around Thomas and wept.

She was free.

* * *

A year later, Cathy found herself standing outside the very house that had been her prison for far too long. An unassuming, red-brick Edwardian home on the outside, identical to the rest on the street. Yet, it had concealed a monster. She had left with only a handful of possessions; the few treasures she had kept secreted from Henry underneath their bed. Her mother’s locket, a black and white photograph of her mother and father on their wedding day, a letter from her grandmother. And, finally, her notebook and pen, what she had used to write just to let her mind unravel; to escape from the chaos she was living in. When Henry was at work, writing was how Cathy spent her lonely hours alone. She would comfort herself by writing stories with fairytale endings, poems of true love and phrases and Bible verses. Anything that allowed her to disconnect from her reality. Writing had given her a purpose, a means to keep pushing on. To survive.

After a few months, Cathy had found the courage to share her writings with Thomas. He’d encouraged her to submit her work to a literary agent. Today, she had signed a publishing contract.

With her book, she was determined to show woman can be strong, that they can be the successful person they dream of. Because that is what had kept her going: her dreams and wishes had translated onto the blank pages of her notebook. Now, she was going to share them with the world. For the first time, she was going to take control of her life and not allow anyone to dominate it like Henry had.

The truth was, she’d never really needed his love, if you could call it that. His love was harsh words, bruises, throwing punches. Yet, despite it all, she’d remained strong and resilient. She had taken every bruise, every curse, because she _had_ loved him. He hadn’t always been such a monster, and part of Cathy had always hoped that the old Henry would return; the part she had truly loved. Now, she could finally stand tall and tell Henry:

_You did not break me_. _You made me stronger._

“Cathy!”

She spun around with a smile and scooped up Felicia in her arms, Thomas trailing behind. For once, Cathy could see her future, and it looked bright. She could let go of Henry, because now she realised they were never meant to be.

Taking Thomas’ hand, she gave the house one final look and turned away.

_So, this is goodbye. All my love, Catherine._


End file.
